FLUID SYSTEM AND FLUID ASSEMBLY

Abstract

The invention relates to a fluidic system (1) comprising: - a pressure vessel (10) having a lower inlet (14), a lower outlet (15), and an upper inlet (16); - liquid level detection means comprising: - a hollow body (20) extending inside the pressure vessel (10) and defining a housing (21); - a lower sensor (31) and an upper sensor (32) located in the housing (21), each sensor being configured to transition from a first state to a second state; - a floating body (40) located inside the pressure vessel (10) and slidingly connected to the hollow body (20), the floating body (40) comprising a sensing element (41) configured to trigger the switching of said sensor when it is opposite one of the sensors; - filling means (50). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Fluidic system and fluidic assembly FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, and in particular to autonomous vehicles. In particular, the present invention relates to the cleaning of sensors installed on vehicles, and more particularly to the projection of liquid and pressurized air for cleaning said sensors.

[0002] The present invention relates to a fluidic system, and in particular a fluidic system configured to distribute a fluid under pressure. DESCRIPTION OF EARLIER ART

[0003] Motor vehicles are now equipped with numerous sensors, cameras, lidars, or radars (hereinafter referred to as "sensors") for driver assistance purposes. These sensors can be located inside or outside the vehicle to provide the driver with a complete view of the vehicle's surroundings. For example, sensors can be located in the bumper, side skirt, on the side mirror, behind the windshield, under the hood, near the headlights, or on a roof-mounted platform.

[0004] However, these sensors, exposed to the environment, are susceptible to becoming covered in dirt or dust, which can lead to a degradation of their performance. In particular, cameras with dirty lenses may provide a distorted view, misinterpret obstacles, or miss certain details. Frequent cleaning of these sensors is therefore necessary to guarantee their performance.

[0005] In this regard, motor vehicles can be equipped with a cleaning system comprising valves which are generally mounted in extremely dense areas, so that this set of valves requires compact packaging.

[0006] One of the objectives of the present invention is therefore to propose a fluidic system capable of delivering a fluid under pressure.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to propose a fluidic system equipped with means for detecting low and high fluid levels, these detection means being protected from external conditions. Summary of the invention

[0008] The aforementioned objectives of the present invention are, at least partially, achieved by a fluidic system comprising:

[0009] - a pressure vessel having a lower inlet and a lower outlet, both arranged on a lower face of the pressure tank, and a top inlet arranged on a top face of the pressure tank, opposite the lower face, along the main axis XX';

[0010] - means for detecting the liquid level which include:

[0011] - a hollow body extending from either the upper or lower face, along the main axis XX', inside the pressure vessel, the hollow body defining a housing which is hermetically sealed from the pressure vessel;

[0012] - at least two sensors, referred to respectively as the lower sensor and the upper sensor, located in the housing, respectively in lower position and upper position, each sensor being configured to switch from a first state and a second state to the other of the first state and the second state;

[0013] - a floating body located inside the pressure vessel and connected sliding with the hollow body, the floating body comprising a detection element configured to, when opposite one of the sensors, trigger the switching of said sensor;

[0014] - filling means configured to be activated when one of the sensors passes from one of the first state and the second state to the other of the first state and the second state.

[0015] According to one embodiment, each of the two sensors comprises a blade sensor, while the sensing element comprises a magnet.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the lower position is a position defining a first level of fluid likely to be present in the pressure tank, while the upper position is a position defining a second level, higher than the first level, of a fluid likely to be present in the pressure tank, the upper inlet is located upstream of the second level along the direction from the upper face to a lower face, so that a fluid injected at the lower inlet can be detected by a switching of the upper sensor when the second level is reached.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the filling means are connected to the lower inlet and are configured to fill the pressurized tank with a fluid when the floating body is opposite the lower sensor and to stop filling when it is opposite the upper sensor.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the filling means comprise at least one element selected from: a pump, a pressure pump, a control valve.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the hollow body opens from the face from which it extends.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the hollow body extends from the lower face.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the sensors are integrated into an elongated body inserted into the opening of the hollow body.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the pressure tank has a cylindrical shape extending along the main axis XX'.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the pressure tank comprises a plastic material.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the floating body has a disc shape with a central hole through which said floating body is in sliding connection with the hollow body.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the pressure tank includes lateral ribs configured to improve the mechanical resistance of said pressure tank.

[0026] The invention also relates to a fluidic assembly which comprises:

[0027] - a support having anchoring sites;

[0028] - at least two fluidic systems according to the present invention, each system fluidic being anchored to an anchoring site via anchoring means, the lower outlet of one of the at least two fluidic systems, called the main system, is fluidically connected to the upper inlet of the other of the at least two fluidic systems.

[0029] According to one embodiment, said fluidic assembly further comprises a compressor connected to the upper inlet of the main system, said compressor being configured to inject compressed air into the main system.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the support has an elongated shape along a secondary axis YY' and the anchoring sites are located on a front face of said support, and the anchoring means are arranged on the lateral surface of the fluidic system.

[0031] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle equipped with sensors, nozzles arranged to spray a fluid onto a sensitive surface of the sensors, the motor vehicle being further equipped with the fluidic assembly according to the present invention, the fluidic assembly being connected to the nozzles. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Other features and advantages will be better understood upon reading the following description of the fluidic system according to the invention, provided by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0033] [Fig-1] Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional representation of a fluidic system longitudinal, according to the present invention;

[0034] [Fig.2] The [Fig.2] is an exploded view representation of a fluidic system;

[0035] [Fig.3] The [Fig.3] is a representation of a fluidic system of the [Fig.1] partially filled with a liquid, and in particular filled with a liquid at the first level;

[0036] [Fig.4] The [Fig.4] is a representation of a fluidic system of the [Fig.1] partially filled with a liquid, and in particular filled with a liquid at an intermediate level between the first level and the second level;

[0037] [Fig.5] The [Fig.5] is a representation of a fluidic system of the [Fig.1] partially filled with a liquid, and in particular filled with a liquid at the second level;

[0038] [Fig.6] The [Fig.6] is a representation of a fluidic assembly according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0039] In the descriptive part, the same reference numerals in the drawings may be used for elements of the same type. The drawings are schematic representations which, for reasons of legibility, are not necessarily to scale.

[0040] In what follows, terms or expressions such as "bottom", "bottom face", "top", "top face" are used. These terms or expressions are defined in terms of the horizontal and vertical directions. In particular, a bottom face and a top face, as defined below, are defined with respect to a principal axis XX' oriented in the vertical direction.

[0041] The present invention relates to a fluidic system for cleaning sensors, cameras, lidars or radars (hereinafter "sensors"), in particular for cleaning the sensors of a motor vehicle.

[0042] In particular, the present invention relates to a fluidic system comprising:

[0043] - a pressure vessel having a lower inlet and a lower outlet, both arranged on the lower face of the pressure tank, and a top inlet arranged on the upper face of the pressure tank, opposite the lower face, along the main axis XX';

[0044] - liquid level detection means which include

[0045] - a hollow body extending from either of the upper or lower, along the main axis XX', inside the pressure vessel, the hollow body defining a housing hermetically isolated from the pressure vessel;

[0046] - at least two sensors, referred to respectively as the lower sensor and the upper sensor, located in the housing, respectively in lower position and upper position, each sensor being configured to switch from a first state and a second state to the other first state and second state;

[0047] - a floating body located inside the pressure vessel and connected sliding with the hollow body, the floating body comprising a detection element configured to, when opposite one of the sensors, trigger the switching of said sensor;

[0048] - filling means configured to be activated when one of the sensors passes from one of the first state and the second state to the other of the first state and the second state.

[0049] Figure 1 illustrates a fluidic system 1 according to the present invention. In particular, Figure 1 represents the fluidic system 1 in a longitudinal section. The longitudinal section plane is defined as the intersection of a plane passing through a principal axis XX' (defined below) and the reservoir (defined below).

[0050] The fluidic system 1 according to the present invention comprises a pressure vessel 10.

[0051] In particular, as illustrated in [Fig. 1], the pressure vessel 10 may have a cylindrical shape. In particular, the pressure vessel 10 extends, along a principal axis XX', from a lower face 11 to an upper face 12 opposite the lower face 11.

[0052] In the example illustrated in [Fig.1], the lower face 11 and the upper face 12 both have a dome shape and are connected by a lateral surface 13 defining a cylinder.

[0053] The pressure vessel 10 is provided with a lower inlet 14 and a lower outlet 15, both arranged on the lower face 11. The bottom outlet 14 can be located in the center of the lower face 11, while the lower inlet can be offset laterally with respect to the bottom outlet 14.

[0054] The pressure tank 10 is further provided with a top inlet 16 located on the top face 12.

[0055] The pressure vessel 10 may include a main section 17 and a lid 18. In particular, and as illustrated in [Fig.2], the main section 17 may include the upper face 12 and the lateral surface 13, while the lid 18 may include a lower face 11.

[0056] The pressure vessel may include a plastic material.

[0057] The pressure vessel may include lateral ribs configured for to improve the mechanical resistance of said pressure vessel.

[0058] The fluidic system 1 also includes means for detecting the fluid level. In particular, the fluid level detection means include a hollow body 20 extending from either of the upper face 12 or lower face 11, along the main axis XX', inside the pressure vessel 10. In particular, the hollow body 20 defines a housing 21 which is hermetically sealed from the pressure vessel 10.

[0059] The hollow body 20, as shown in [Fig.1], can extend from the upper face 12, from a first end 20a to a second end 20b. In particular, in this example, the hollow body 20 opens, at its first end, from the upper face 12.

[0060] In the variant illustrated in [Fig.2], the hollow body 20 can extend from the lower face 11, from the first end 20a to the second end 20b. In this variant, the hollow body 20 opens, at its first end, onto the lower face 12.

[0061] The liquid level detection means also include at least two sensors, respectively called lower sensor 31 and upper sensor 32, located in the housing respectively at a lower position 31a and an upper position 31b, the upper position 31b being upstream of the lower position 31a in a direction from the upper face to the lower face.

[0062] In addition, each sensor 31, 32 is configured to switch from a first state and a second state to the other first state and second state.

[0063] The sensor can be part of an elongated body 30 which is inserted into the housing 21, by the first end 20a. In particular, the elongated body 30 and the housing 21 can both have complementary shapes.

[0064] The fluid level detection means comprise a floating body 40 located inside the pressure vessel 10 and in a sliding connection with the hollow body 20. The floating body includes a sensing element 41 configured such that, when it is opposite one of the sensors 31, 32, it triggers the switching of said sensor. For example, when it is opposite one of the sensors 31, 32, the sensing element 41 triggers the switching of the sensor in question from the first position to the second position.

[0065] For example, the positioning of the detection element 41 relative to a sensor 31, 32 triggers the switching of said sensor from the first position to the second position.

[0066] The floating body 40 may have a disc shape with a central hole through which said floating body is in sliding connection with the hollow body.

[0067] The implementation of the fluid level detection means makes it possible to detect predetermined levels of a liquid that may be present in the pressurized tank 10.

[0068] For example, the predetermined levels may correspond to a first level or a second level, the second fluid level being higher than the first.

[0069] For example, the first level may be a level for which the fluid level in the pressure vessel corresponds to a volume less than 20%, advantageously less than 15%, of the total volume of the pressure vessel.

[0070] The second level may be a level at which the fluid level in the pressure vessel corresponds to a volume between 70% and 90% of the total volume of the pressure vessel. In particular, the second level may be located upstream of the upper entrance along the direction from the lower face to the upper face.

[0071] The fluidic system 1 according to the present invention may include filling means 50, in particular connected to the lower inlet 15. The filling means 50 may be configured to be activated when one of the sensors transitions from one of the first and second states to the other of the first and second states. By "activated," we mean a change of state of the filling means. In particular, the filling means 50 may be configured to fill the pressure vessel 10 with a fluid when the floating body 40 is in contact with the sensor 31, and to stop filling when it is in contact with the sensor 32.

[0072] By way of non-limiting examples, the filling means 50 may include a pump, a pressure pump, a control valve.

[0073] By way of example, the filling means may include a control valve configured to be activated when one of the sensors transitions from one of the first and second states to the other of the first and second states. For example, the control valves may include a valve, said lower inlet valve 50 connected to the lower inlet 15, which is configured to be in an open state when the floating body is opposite the bottom sensor and to be in a closed state as soon as the floating element reaches the upper position.

[0074] In another example, the filling means may include a pump, or a pressure pump, configured to be activated ("started" or "stopped") when one of the sensors passes from one of the first and second states to the other of the first and second states.

[0075] An outlet tube 51 can be connected to the lower outlet 15. The outlet tube 51 is configured to deliver the pressurized fluid on demand.

[0076] The control valve may also include a valve, called the upper inlet valve 52, connected to the upper inlet 16, which is configured to deliver the pressurized fluid on demand.

[0077] Figure 3 shows the fluidic system 1 according to the present invention partially filled with a liquid. In particular, the liquid level at the first level requires the floating element 40 to be in a lower position so that the bottom sensor 31 is in its second position. Consequently, the lower inlet valve 50 is open to allow the liquid to fill.

[0078] The filling of the liquid triggers the ascent of the floating element to the upper position. In this respect, [Fig. 4] represents the fluidic system filled with liquid at an intermediate level between the first and second levels. The floating element is also located at this intermediate level.

[0079] As the liquid fills the pressurized tank 10, the floating element reaches the upper position, so that the upper sensor changes from its first state to its second state, which causes the lower inlet valve 50 to close ([Fig.5]).

[0080] Taking into account a second level located upstream of the upper inlet along the direction from the lower face to the upper face limits, or even prevents, the liquid from entering the upper inlet.

[0081] In an advantageous embodiment, each sensor 31, 32 may comprise a Reed sensor, while the sensing element may comprise a magnet.

[0082] The invention also relates to a fluidic assembly 100 which comprises:

[0083] - a support 110 having an elongated shape along a secondary axis YY' and anchoring sites on a front face 110a of said support;

[0084] - at least two fluidic systems a, 1b, le according to the present invention, each fluidic system being anchored on an anchoring site via anchoring means disposed on the lateral surface of the fluidic system, the lower outlet of one of the at least two fluidic systems, called main system 1a, is fluidically connected to the upper inlet of the other of the at least two fluidic systems 1b, le.

[0085] The fluidic assembly further includes a compressor connected to the upper inlet of the main system, said compressor being configured to inject compressed air into the main system.

[0086] According to this configuration, compressed air can be used to compress a liquid that may be present in both fluidic systems 1b, the.

[0087] This configuration allows the distribution of both air and pressurized liquid for cleaning the sensors of a motor vehicle.

[0088] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle equipped with sensors, nozzles arranged to spray a fluid onto a sensitive surface of the sensors, the motor vehicle being further equipped with the fluidic assembly according to the present invention, the fluidic assembly being connected to the nozzles.

[0089] Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and variants can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

Demands

1. Fluidic system (1) comprising - a pressure vessel (10) having a lower inlet (14) and a lower outlet (15), both disposed on the lower face (11) of the pressure vessel (10), and an upper inlet (16) disposed on the upper face (12) of the pressure vessel (10), opposite the lower face (11), along a principal axis XX'; - liquid level detection means comprising - a hollow body (20) extending from either the upper (12) or lower (11) face, along the principal axis XX', inside the pressure vessel (10), the hollow body (20) defining a housing (21) which is hermetically sealed from the pressure vessel (10);- at least two sensors, respectively called lower sensor (31) and upper sensor (32), located in the housing (21) at, respectively, a lower position (31a) and an upper position (31b), each sensor being configured to transition from a first state and a second state to the other of the first and second states; - a floating body (40) located inside the pressure vessel (10) and in sliding connection with the hollow body (20), the floating body (40) comprising a sensing element (41) configured to, when it is opposite one of the sensors, trigger the switching of said sensor; - filling means (50) configured to be activated when one of the sensors transitions from one of the first and second states to the other of the first and second states; the hollow body (20) opens from the face from which it extends.

2. Fluidic system (1) according to claim 1, wherein each of the two sensors comprises a Reed sensor, while the sensing element (41) comprises a magnet.

3. The fluidic system (1) according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the lower position (31a) is a position defining a first fluid level that may be present in the pressure vessel (10), while the upper position (31b) is a position defining a second level, higher than the first level, of a fluid likely to be present in the pressurized tank (10), the upper inlet (16) is located upstream of the second level along the direction from the upper face (12) to a lower face (11) so that a fluid injected at the lower inlet (14) can be detected by a switching of the upper sensor (32) when the second level is reached.

4. The fluidic system (1) according to claim 3, wherein the filling means (50) are connected to the lower inlet (14), and are configured to fill the pressure vessel (10) with a fluid, when the floating body (40) is opposite the lower sensor (31), and stop filling when it is opposite the upper sensor (32).

5. The fluidic system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the filling means (50) comprise at least one element selected from: a pump, a pressure pump, a control valve.

6. Fluidic system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the hollow body (20) extends from the lower face (11).

7. Fluidic system (1) according to claim 6, wherein the sensors are integrated into an elongated body (30) inserted into the opening of the hollow body (20).

8. Fluidic system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the pressure vessel (10) has a cylindrical shape extending along the main axis XX'.

9. Fluidic system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the pressure vessel (10) is made of plastic.

10. Fluidic system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the floating body (40) has a disc shape with a central hole through which said floating body (40) is in sliding connection with the hollow body (20).

11. Fluidic system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the pressure vessel (10) comprises lateral ribs configured to enhance the mechanical strength of said pressure vessel (10).

12. Fluidic assembly (100) comprising: - a support (110) having anchoring sites; - at least two fluidic systems (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, each fluidic system (1) being anchored on an anchoring site by anchoring means, the lower outlet (15) of one of the at least two fluidic systems (1), called the main system, being fluidically connected to the upper inlet (16) of the other of the at least two fluidic systems (1).

13. The fluidic assembly (100) according to claim 12, wherein said fluidic assembly (100) further comprises a compressor connected to the upper inlet (16) of the main system, said compressor being configured to inject compressed air into the main system.

14. The fluidic assembly (100) according to claims 12 or 13, wherein the support (110) has an elongated shape along a secondary axis YY' and the anchoring sites are located on a front face of said support (110), and the anchoring means are arranged on the lateral surface (13) of the fluidic system (1).

15. Motor vehicle equipped with sensors, nozzles arranged to spray a fluid onto a sensitive surface of the sensors, the motor vehicle is also equipped with the fluidic assembly (100) according to any one of claims 12 to 14, the fluidic assembly (100) being connected to the nozzles.

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